How to extract software from one PC and install on another PC?

bsbnyc · 02 Dec 2023

I currently have a problem with my current pc. I need to pull punch card data over ethernet port, but the communications port is not working. So instead, I want to extract the software from the broken PC and install it on a known good PC. How do I go about doing that? I tried to pull the MSI installer and install it on another PC. But it did not work at all. I know there was a way in the old days to pull the install files from the app itself. But windows 10 does not seem to have that ability. The software in question I have the physical box, but the cd itself is cracked. There is no way for me to insert it into my pc safely to extract the software. I have been to data recovery experts. But even they cant salvage it.

Please help thank you.

hroldan · 02 Dec 2023

Some software can be copied without issues, sometimes this won't work, I can't tell about your scenario.

You could clone the hard drive, or create a VHD (virtual hard disk) from that physical drive and use it on a virtual machine, or mounted via ventoy on the other machine.

bsbnyc · 02 Dec 2023

I'm not that technologically literate. I know the basics. But anything more advanced. I short circuit.

I also have windows 7 and 8 pcs. And 99% of the time I can retrieve the exe files. I just need to know how do I do that on windows 10?

Samuria · 02 Dec 2023

The problem is a lot of software will install files to windows and make register changes you could be lucky if it writes everything to one folder and you could copy the folder

dalchina · 02 Dec 2023

Hi, you can transfer up to 5 programs for free to another PC using
EaseUS Todo PCTrans - Free PC Transfer Software

This program will let you select the programs, then let you transfer all its folders, registry keys etc to another PC.

There's nothing simple about transferring an installed program to another PC- but this program is designed to make it simple for you. You just need to use it correctly.

I've used this - years ago- and another similar one- to transfer a whole user account with 300 installed programs or more.
Most are transferred successfully. A small number needed reinstalling.

bsbnyc · 02 Dec 2023

Can I transfer over lan cable?

dalchina · 03 Dec 2023

And thank you very much for your reply.

What I did was use a disk image of the original PC and used program on the target PC with the disk image as source.

Please read up about the program for yourself. It makes it easy.